Making a leap

This is going to be a great journal entry, because I feel like I’ve made a leap – both physically and mentally – and it’s changed my whole perception on life.

By Daniel Shires

·

September 24, 2024

Making a leap

I started a journey of timeboxing as a way to manage my time – and it worked for a while, until it didn’t.

I think I’ve always tried to find strategies to improve my productivity and focus, and to be intentional with how I live my life, and this alongside GTD, was a way of managing and fulfilling this goal.

I saw timeboxing as a way to manage my bad habbits, as a way to determine my future before I had a chance to think about it.

This had some mixed results, really positive at first, then drifting away slightly.

Bad habits returned.

What changed

I also found that despsite exercising more, I wasn't receiving many benefits. Physically I felt better, but not at the progression levels I was expecting.

I had a realisation that my approach to physical activity was single minded. I thought that I could sit around all day at work, do 45 min of exercise and then sit back down again - and expect that to make a tangible difference in my life.

I was able to reframe how I thought about movement.

That consistent daily movement was way more important to my health and wellbeing. Instead of doing one full burst, I would start to focus on many smaller bursts throughout the day.

I set the challenge of doing 10k steps a day, and over the past 3 or 4 months, it has been nothing sort of transformative.

Since July 24 I have averaged 11k steps compared to 7k steps. More than this, it has radically changed my approach to my lifestyle.

I have stopped drinking completely and have now done 87 days without a drink.

I feel more mindful with my phone, I stop and think before I pick it up.

My physical and mental health has become supercharged.

I’ve now made another massive step, changed my whole morning routine, and have started waking up at 4am.

I workout at 4am, study from 5am. I then get to spend time with the kids before they go out in the morning.

This has improved my other habits and mental acuity.

I feel more:

  • Sharper
  • Stronger
  • Mindful
  • Energised
  • Focused
  • Caring
  • Positive

The list can go on… but overall I’m feeling extremely excited about the future.

I know there will be challenges, barriers put up against me, but it’s down to me and my mindset to smash past them and grow.